Apparatus for desiccating.



L. G. MERRELL. APPARATUS r03 DESIGGATIHG.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1911.

Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

4 SHEETS SHEBT 1.

L. c. MERRELL. APPARATUS FOR DESEGOATING. APPLIOATION FILED APR 29, 1911,

Patented Dec. 23, 191-3.

wuwntoz L. G.' MERRELL. I APPARATUS FOR. DESIGGATING. APPLICATION FILED APB. 29,-1911.

Patented Dec.23,1913.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

lwuemtoz L. C. MERRELL.

APPARATUS FOR DESIGCATIHG.

APPLIOATIQN IILI-ID 41 11.49, 1911.

Patented Dec,23;1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

, concentrated is then converted into a fine.

srArns PATENT 5 mwrs -c..mmrr., or .srzaaonsn, Newman, essrenpn mo -g nm mgf a v -.conranr, orsraacusn, NEW roan, .a.coasomrmngornxiwronn.

APPARATUS non nnsrccarrne.

:Speeificationof Letters latent.

particularly related to the process covered by Letter's Patent of the United States'No.

860,929, granted jointly to myself, Irving Gore, and dated Merrell and William "B. July 23,1907.

Briefly stated, the process of the patent above mentioned contemplates the treatment of liquids and semi-liquids, such as milk,

by first concentratingthe same -to deprive the substances of a large percentage oi; the moisture contained therein. l he mass so spray, and in this iormit is subjected to a desiccating agent-,- s'uch as a current of dry air or gas, the temperature of which may be regulated, whereby to extract from the concentr'ated mass substantially all "the remaining liquid constituents. During the treat- 'ment of the sprayed mass by the air or gas,

the latter takes up the moisture remaining after concentration, leaving the sohd constituents in-the form of a dry powder, and this powder is collected a suitable space away from the air or gas current, the air or gas bein discharged separately from the drypower." ',v:

The process of the patent-aforesaid may be termed a continuous process, that. is-to say,-the.liquid or semi-liquid is treated While intr'ansit, and in its action upon the liquid or semi-liquid the desiccating agent is also in'transit. Hence, neither the liqu d or semiliquid nor the desiccating agent remainsfor an chiimber, and the separation of the moisture remaining takes place while the. sprayed mass-andthe'desiccating agent are in transit- The, present .i ventionyas di tinguished fromthe process above described, contem plates an apparatus wherein the des ccating. agent, a s.,a body of air, is admitted .to' the desiccating chamber, .a nd whenthe des red ,v qua'rrtity has been so introduced. the :supply appreciable time 1n thedesiccating is cut-- oil' and'the agent confined in sa d chamber. The substance to be treated 1s Mnn- 1 then introduced to the desiccating -,ch'amb er until the proper quantity,"proportioned to the amount of the confined desiccating agent, A has entered the chamber, whereu onthei'flour' of-the substance is stopped-* vaporatioa; talres place, the solid constituents beingj dd-"" prived of their moisture and 3 becoming duced to the condition of afine dry 'dust. The moisturedaden air is "then discharged into a dust collector wherein separation of] the air and the dry solids is reflected; 1 765 Asa subordinate f-fea'tu're of thepres'ent invention, the same also contemplates an apparatus of the character recited wherein the flow of the desiccating agent, and'sub stance to be treated, at periodic stages,'is cut oifand deflected successively to a; p1u= ra'lity of desiccating chambersarranged battery "term, and timed in proper relation to each other to be charged'andldischa rged," thereby increas "1g materiallythefoutpnt ob- 175 tainedey the practice ofitheflpro'cessf In the drawings Figure isa' ep e View, partlyin section, of elapp r tus which is designed to carry nto effect the Fig. 1, certain portions-bf apparatusfap pearing in' elevation. lfiligs; 3 to 6,}i'nclusive, are diagrammatic'views illustri "ye of oer-f tain steps of the process; 35 It will be understoodithat' thepractic'e'of the herein-described process isfnbft limited" to any 1" "ticular form or typefot apparatiisf and hence the apparatus illustrated inthe' accompanying drawings is merely indicative .ofone type which maybejemployed; Referring to the dr'aWin'gs,' J and pair of deslccating chamhers, vvhic'h" fare 'ar Q ranged in battery form, anynumber of these, chambers being employeifand each" being provided with an inlet pipc 'flfandan outlet-Q p p -ot h letp' pe fi aigeflco. f, a i y r e w ich tan pe turn, connected with a'gsuitablei pressu vice As illufilfated in the dra Pres re device i1 flfflrm 19f; n e ,f blower, but device designed for moving air; may be substituted the i it 'unctn f the inlet Pip I by reasonof its location at the point noted it is obviousthat said valve will control connection between the inlet pipes 3 and the supply pipe 5. The outlet pipes 4 communicate with a discharge pipe 8, the discharge pipe communicating with a dust collector 9. In the illustration of the latter herein it is shown merely in conventional form. At the juncture of the outlet pipes 4 is arranged an-outlet valve 10, which valve is also illustrated as in the formof a pivoted gate, and said valve controls both of the outlet pipes 4 in a manner similar to the control of the inlet pipes 3 by the valve 7.

Each of the desiccating chambers 1 and 2 has a jacket 11, and located in said jacket is a heating coil 12, preferably a steampipe,

whereby the temperature of the contents of the desiccating chamber may be raised, as will be presently described. Each of'the desiccating chambers 1 and 2 is also provided with .a spraying device 13 for the introduction of the substance to be treated. These spraying devices are in the form of nozzles connected to suitable pipes 14, which pipes 14 are also connected to a three-way valve 15 having communication with a liquid supply pipe 16. The pipe 16 is connected to a high pressure pump 17 and said pump is also connected, by a pipe 18, with a-source of liquid supply 19, such as a tank. The pipe 18 is preferably valved, at at 20, to control the'supply of the liquid to the pump from the tank 19. The inlet valve 7,

" the outlet valve 10, and the three-way valve 15 are actuated by suitable cams 21 carried by a driving shaft 22, and connected with said valves through the medium of links 23, and said cams 21 are so proportioned and designed as to cause proper actuation of said valves in proper relation to each other.

- he process is practised in the following manner: The blower 6 having been started,

steam is turned into the heating coils 12. The outlet valve 10 is then actuated to close the outlet pipe 4 leading from the chamber 1, and at the same time the inlet valve 7 is actuated to open the inlet pipe 3 of said chamber 1 to connection with the supply pipe 5. This causes the air from the blower 6 to enter the chamber 1 under pressure.

During the positioning of the valves 7 and 10 in the manner referred to the three-way valve 15- is neutral, the positions of the parts justdescribed being illustrated in Fig. The inlet valve 7 is now closed to cut off communication between the inlet pipe 4 and supply pipe 5, whereby the body of air introduced to the chamber 1 is confined within said chamber. The pum 17 having been stai't'ed liquid is forced .rom the tank 19 to the three-way valve 15, which has now been moved to the position shown in Fig. 4, and this results in the flow of the liquid to the spraying device 13 of the chamber 1. After a suitable amount of liquid has entered said chamber 1 the three-way valve 15 is again turned to neutral position, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and thereby cuts off the liquid supply from the chamber 1. At

.the same time the-outlet valve 10 is moved to 5, cutting off communication between the supply pipe-0 and the inlet pipe 3 of the chamber 1, and establishing communication between said pipe 5 and the inlet pipe 3 of the chamber 2. Air under pressure now enters the chamber 2, and this air is heated by the steam coils of said chamber, as the air introduced to chamber 1 is also heated by the coils of that cl'iamber when so in-" troduced. W hen the desired' 'quantity of air has been admitted to the chamber 2 the inlet valve 7 is swung to the position illustrated in Fig. 6, and the chamber 1 now being in communication with the supply pipe 5 and the discharge pipe 8, airwill enter said chamber 1 from the blower to drive out the moisture-laden air from the chamber 1 and force the same into the. dust collector 9, and'in the latter the moisture is discharged to atmosphere, While the dust is precipitated in a manner well understood in the art. In the meantime, and as soon as the inlet valve 7 has closed to the position illustrated in Fig. 6, thereby confining-the air within the chamber 2, the three-Way valve 15 is turned in order to allow the liquid to be sprayedinto said chamber 2. A suitable amount of liquid being so intro duced, the three-way valve 15 is turned to i cut off the liquid supply to the chamber 2,

whereupon the inlet valve 7 and the outlet valve 10 are properly actuated to. permit the air from the blower to be forced into the chamber 2, and thereby drive out the moisture-laden air-into the dust collector 9,

in the manner described in connection with chamber 1, thus separating the moisture which has been taken up by the air in the chamber 2 from the solid constituents, and

allowing the latter which, as will be observed, are now in the form of a dry pow-- der, to be precipitated in the dust collector. The dust collector 9 has a discharge spout 24 controlled by a suitable gate 25, through the medium of which the powder connecte thereby may be discharged therefrom, and 1 each of the chambers 1 and 2 is also provided with a discharge spout 26 controlled by a gate 27, thus permitting any powder which may be precipitated in said tanks to V be readily removed therefrom. v

The illustrated dust collector 9, has its cylindrical wall 28 formed of foraminous material, such as textile fabric, which permits the moisture-laden air to pass readily therethrough but prevents passage of the powder.

While capable of Wide range of application, the present invention is particularly .when the air is in movement While being introduced into each desiccating chamber, and while being forced out therefrom, no liquid is sprayed into the, current of air.

I claim 1. In a desiccating apparatus, a closed chamber for receiving a moisture-absorbent, means for introducing the moisture-absorbent. therein, means for introducing to said chamber the liquid to.be treated, and means for effecting a separation of the moistureladen absorbent from the desiccated product.

2. In a desiccating apparatus, a chamber for receiving a moist-ure absorbent, means for introducing a moisture-absorbent therein, means for confining the moisture-absorbent within the chamber, ineans for introducing to said chamber the liquid to be treated, and means for effecting a separation of the moisture-laden absorbent from the desiccated product. i

3. In a desiccating apparatus, a chamber for receiving a moisture-absorbent, means for introducing the moistureabsorbent therein, means for confining the moisture absorbent within the chamber, a spraying device for introducing the liquid to be treated into said chamber in a finely-divided condition, and means for effecting a separation of the moisture-laden absorbent from the desiccated product.

4. In a desiccating apparatus, a chamber for receiving a moisture-absorbent, inlet and outlet conduits for said chamber whereby to introduce and discharge the moisture-absorbent to and from said chamber, means associated with said conduits for confining the moisture-absorbent Within the chamber,

means for introducing to said chamber the liquid to be treated, and means also asso-' ciated with the outlet conduit for effecting a separation of the moisture-laden absorbent from the desiccated product.

5. In a desiccating apparatus, a plurality of chambers for receiving a moisture-absorbent, means for introducing the moistureabsorbent to said chambers in regularsuccession, means also associated with said chambers for introducing to the latter the liquid to be treated, and means for discharging the moisture-laden agent from said chambers in regular succession.

6. In a desiccating apparatus, a plurality of chambers for receiving a moisture-absorbent, means associated with said chambers for alternately charging the latter with the moistureabsorbent, means also associated with said chambers for introducing to the latter the liquid to be treated, and means for alternately discharging said chambers of the moisture-laden agent.

7.. In a desiccating apparatus, a plurality of chambers for receiving a moisture-absorbent, means associated with said chambers for alternately charging the latter with the moisture absorbent, means also asso- "ciated with said chambers for introducing to the latter the liquid to be treated, means for alternately discharging said chambers of the moisture-laden absorbent, and means for elfecting a separation of the moistureladen absorbent from the desiccated productwhen the latter is discharged from said chambers.

8. In a desiccating apparatus, a plural1ty 'of chambers for receiving a mo1stureabsorbent, a source of moisture-absorbent-supply for sald chambers, means assoclated with introducing the moisture-absorbent to said chambers in regular succession, means also associated with said chambers for introducing to the latter the liquid to be treated, means for discharging said chambers in regular succession of the moisture-laden a-bsorbent, and means for effecting a separation of the moisture-laden absorbent from the desiccated product as the sameis discharged from the chambers.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 27th day-of April 1911.

LEWIS C. MERRELL.

Witnesses: v

HO ARD P. DEN1son, E. F. SPEAKING.

said source of moisture-absorbent-supply for 

